SAGAR FILM COMPANY
Bombay studio started in 1930 by Chimanlal Desa·i and Ambalal Patel, Southern distributors of Select Pies, Imperial and Ardeshir Irani (who withdrew in 1931) Its major early filmmaker was Sarvottam Badami (e.g. Dr Madhurika, 1935); Ezra Mir contributed some seminal Parsee theatre-derived films and novelist K.M. Munshi helped formulate the codes that were to shape Mehboob's early work. Others who started their careers in the studio, and in the same genre, were Zia Sarhadi and Ramchandra Thakur. When Chlli:J.anlal Luhar joined, they made some stunt. movies, including 1\lehboob'sDeccan Queen 0936). The studio also made nationalist documentaries, on Nehru and Subhash Bose, with the ~I clive collaboration of their subjects. In 1936 Ambalal Patel withdrew to start Sudama Pies. In 1939 Sagar merged with Fazalbhoy's Film City and General Films to become National Film. One of their earliest films was Mehboob's classicAurat U940), made at Sagar but released by National.